Henry Percy

Henry "Harry Hotspur" Percy (20 May 1364-21 July 1403) was an English nobleman. Percy was a significant captain during the Anglo-Scots Wars before leading successive rebellions against King Henry IV of England. He was slain at the Battle of Shrewsbury in 1403.

Biography
Henry Percy was born in Alnwick, Northumberland, England in 1364, the son of Henry Percy, 1st Earl of Northumberland. He was knighted by King Edward III of England in 1377, and he fought in campaigns in Ireland in 1380 and in Prussia in 1383 before becoming Warden of the East March in 1384. In 1385, he accompanied Richard II of England on an expedition into Scotland, and he was nicknamed "Hotspur" for his readiness to attack. In 1386, he was sent to France to reinforce the garrison at Calais, and he led raids into Picardy. In 1388, he was made a Knight of the Garter and returned to being Warden of the East March, defeating the Scots at the Battle of Otterburn. In 1393, he was sent on a diplomatic mission to Cyprus, and he served as John of Gaunt's deputy in Aquitaine as Governor of Bordeaux. In 1399, he supported Henry Bolingbroke's seizure of power from Richard II, and he became High Sheriff of Flintshire that same year. In Wales, he fought against Owain Glyndwr's revolt, and he became Royal Lieutenant in North Wales in 1402. That same year, he was victorious against the Scots at the Battle of Homildon Hill.

Rebellion
Despite the House of Percy's long-standing loyalty to King Henry, it had several grievances, such as the king's failure to pay the wages due to them for defending the Scottish border; the king's favour towards George I, Earl of March; the king's demand that the Percys hand over their Scottish prisoners; the king's failure to put an end to Owain Glyndwr's rebellion through a negotiated settlement; the king's increasing promotion of his son Prince Henry's military authority in Wales; and the king's failure to ransom Henry Percy's brother-in-law, Sir Edmund Mortimer, whom the Welsh had captured in June 1402. In the summer of 1403, the Percys rebelled against the King, and the armies of the Percys and the King met at the Battle of Shrewsbury on 21 July 1403. During the battle, Percy was struck in the face by an arrow as he lifted his visor to get a better view of the battle, and he was killed. His men nearly won the battle, shouting "Henry Percy king!," but King Henry revealed that Percy had died, and the lack of a response confirmed the fact. Percy's men then surrendered, ending the rebellion, which had come so close to succeeding.